Consequences
by plentysaid
Summary: "Before today, nothing had bothered Aria. The texts that she had been receiving from A had no impact – none that were this big anyway. But when she read this text, it did." Aria/Ezra, Rated T, but for later chapters, it could be M... Suspense.
1. Chapter 1

Tears. That's how it all began.

Before today, nothing had bothered Aria. The texts that she had been receiving from _A_ had no impact – none that were this big anyway. But when she read this text, it did.

She felt the trembling of her lip, the pricks at the corners of her eyes as she read them, she was thankful that she was alone when reading this. But making her way to the bathroom to splash her face with water and to redo her make-up was down the main corridor and everyone stared. The toilets were near Ezra Fitz's classroom. He just so happened to look up from eating his lunch and marking at the same time Aria walked past with mascara sliding down her face. She saw him move and faltered slightly – he couldn't see her like this. Then he would really think her nothing more than a child.

Ezra walked to the door, he opened it and asked her to step inside, quietly, people were watching, she nodded slowly, trying to control the tears that were now taking her over. He locked the doors to his classroom and pulled the blinds down, knowing just what Aria would have needed right now. He wiped her eyes softly, caressing her face as he did. He managed to wipe the make-up away, a soft, innocent smile falling upon his cheeks. He sat in front of her on a backwards chair and watched her, she tugged at her skirt and looked down, she tried to keep herself busy. Ezra did the same, playing with the loosened tie about his neck.

Deep down, Ezra had figured out that this sadness plagued on the face of someone he adored deeper with every look was to do with the texts she had been receiving – Aria claimed she didn't know who, and Ezra believed her. He rubbed her knee softly, waiting for a response of any kind from her, but she gave none.

As Aria looked at him for the first time, it hit him how sad she really was. A sharp pain went through him as the spark of warmth had left her eyes. He knew silence was the only way to let her words come out, and when they didn't; he felt a tear spring to his eye.

The time passed quickly neither saying a word; Ezra had unlocked his doors, squeezing Aria's shoulder as he passed. He wanted to help; he just didn't know what to say to her.

Like many nights, he wished he could take everything away, wrap her in bubble wrap, and never let her face the world alone. It was too late for that.

Ezra knew he was making her face this world more alone than she needed. Their relationship made Aria more of an outcast than she needed to be.

She got up near the end of the lunch hour, not saying a word to Ezra as she moved towards the door, her stuff in place for the next two hours she would be spending with him. She only had one thing with her: her make-up bag. Ezra didn't say anything to her, just put their objectives on the board, he sat down, threw away his half-eaten lunch and waited for her arrival – and the arrival of everyone else in his class.

Halfway through the lesson, Aria hadn't come back.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Notes: I know this is short but I am building it up to create longer chapters. The next chapter will be longer, I promise. Thank you for reading!_

As the lesson passed, Ezra watched the door and Aria's space nervously, his eyes flicking cautiously. He didn't know why Aria had not come back, he was worried about her – wanted to leave the class and find her. He knew he couldn't.

After an hour, Ezra left the room if only for a moment to find out where she had got to. He looked at the girl's bathroom next to his class and took a deep breath before walking in – he knew he wasn't allowed to be in here, but he had to see where she was. He looked around the room and sighed, no one was in here. There was nothing in here.

Nothing except Aria's make-up bag.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: This story has had the brakes on for a long time, it's now back up and running as is my other PLL fic - Thank you for the long wait, hopefully will try and update at least once a week._

Only one thought went through Ezra's mind when he saw the bag sitting on the side by the sink: What had happened to his lover? His hands shook as he took the satin make-up bag into his hand and looked around for her – for anything else that belonged to her. When Ezra didn't find a trace of her, he left the bathroom quickly and made his way back to his classroom and locked the door. He slumped at his desk and held the bag in his hands, staring at her school bag that was still hanging on the back of her chair, her leather jacket over it. He wondered if her phone was there, if there was any remnant of the texts she had been getting – if there was any clue as to her whereabouts. Ezra shook his head, he couldn't look through her phone, if it was even in her belongings.

A frustrated sob left his lips and he put the make-up bag down and paced the room, he needed to tell someone that Aria had gone missing. Someone else would have noticed by now – her next teacher, maybe, or her friends.

Moments after he started to pace, he stopped. His legs carried him to the Principal's office and the words slipped out of his mouth – the words he didn't think he could voice were out in the open:

"Aria Montgomery went to the bathroom at the start of fourth period and never returned, her bag is still in my classroom and I haven't seen her since."

The Principal looked up from the paperwork in front of him and removed his glasses with a quizzical look in his eye.

"Are you sure?" Ezra nodded slowly and with that nod, the youngest member of the faculty had implemented a lock-down on the school.

At the same time, his phone vibrated against his thigh and a slither of hope highlighted in his mind that it could be Aria's whereabouts. As quick as that hope was there, it was gone as he set eyes on the text.

_Silence doesn't always speak a thousand words. You could have saved her. – A_

Ezra's blood ran cold, an unknown number, his hands trembled slightly and he slid down the wall and held onto his knees. He knew from Aria briefly speaking to him about the texts she had received that they were all signed 'A'. He had read one of them himself and couldn't believe what he was reading – it was the same person as who was harassing Aria. Did they have her? His heart raced and he excused himself and took himself back to his classroom and locked himself in, letting a tear slip down his cheek, he sat on the floor and grabbed Aria's bag, right on the top was her phone, an un-read message on the screen. He bit his lip and read it.

_Remember – e-mails and texts can't be deleted permanently. The police have their ways of making them re-appear, and so do I. – A_

He needed to know what that meant – what had Aria gotten rid of? Or attempted to get rid of – he knew of some resources that Forensics could use to trace deleted texts, but not e-mails, though, Ezra supposed it was possible with the technology available to the police now, but he doubted that Rosewood's finest would have it.

None of that mattered to Ezra at the moment, only one thing did: he needed to get Aria back. With or without the help of the police, he needed to get her back and in his arms and safe, and then he'd make sure A – whomever they were could never touch Aria again. Ezra took the battery out of both their phones and put them in his bag and sat at his desk and started to wonder what predicament Aria was in.

"Excuse me, Mr. Fitz?" His head turned automatically at the older male voice, he gulped when he saw a police officer stood in the doorway. "I'd like to ask you a few questions about Aria Montgomery." Behind the officer, he saw Aria's mother and he hoped his face didn't give away the guilt that he felt deep down inside, after all, _he could have saved her. _


End file.
